WHAT HAPPENED: Earlier this week, Coleman Wong came through qualifying and became the first player from Hong Kong to ever win a match at a Grand Slam in the Open Era. The 21-year-old had his eyes on making more history on Saturday in Flushing Meadows, but Andrey Rublev had other ideas.
15th-seeded Rublev rallied from a set down with some electric tennis to notch a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory and take his place in the second week.
“Was a really tough match,” Rublev later said. “Obviously Wong was playing unbelievable. He was playing aggressive, serving well, going for the shots.”
The hard-serving world No.173 made things tough for Rublev all day with pinpoint serving and serve-plus-one combinations, and he took advantage of a low first-serve percentage by Rublev in the opening set. As Rublev connected on just 38% of his offerings and was broken twice, Wong saved three break points in the fifth game of the set and won the final five games, breaking for 4-2 and again for the set, 6-2.
Rublev wore his frustration early in the second set as Wong continued to dominate on serve. But Rublev saved the only break point he faced and notched the critical break for 4-3 in the second set.
The world No. 15 held serve the rest of the way in the second set then confidently strode into the third, breaking Wong in the first game and producing bold, assertive tennis for the rest of the set to take a two-sets-to-one lead.
But Wong was not finished. The hope of Hong Kong broke early and rode sensational serving, including nine aces, to lock down the fourth set and enter the first official fifth set of his career.
With the early evening shadows working their way across the iconic Grandstand, the pair stayed in lockstep through five games, but it would be Rublev who took control in the decider, converting his second break point of the sixth game as a Wong backhand sailed wide.
It was all the edge Rublev would need. Two more service holds and he had locked up his 11th career five-set win, and his fourth at the US Open.
Rublev said that he didn’t feel fitness come into play, as the contest was relatively short for a five-setter.
“We play five sets but we play three hours,” he said. “It wasn't that [difficult] handle it physical-wise. So it wasn’t really about fitness today. It was more about mental, who would take the chance, and that's it.”
Rublev has won eight of his last ten five-setters overall.
WHAT IT MEANS: Rublev is into his fourth consecutive round of 16 appearance at Flushing Meadows, he will face either Felix Auger-Aliassime or Alexander Zverev for a spot in the quarterfinals on Monday.
MATCH POINT: With Saturday’s win, four-time quarterfinalist Rublev ties Kei Nishikori for seventh on the US Open main draw win list for active players (27-9).
